Written Answers Thursday 22 November 2007

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support sportscotland will provide to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Stewart Maxwell: It is a matter for sportscotland to determine what support it will provide to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

  The support provided by sportscotland will be in the areas of performance development, which includes direct investment to Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport and athletes, and support from the Scottish Institute of Sport Area Network.

  Additionally, sportscotland will develop competitive and training facilities across Scotland.

  It should, however, be noted that sportscotland is currently under review and possible outcomes of the review may influence how future support is provided.

2014 Commonwealth Games

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how sportscotland will be involved in securing the legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Stewart Maxwell: Sportscotland is a key stakeholder and will be involved with the development of 2014 legacy plans through the 100 days planning period announced following Glasgow and Scotland being awarded the games.

  As sportscotland is currently under review any possible outcomes of the review may influence their future role with regards legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Apprenticeships

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to make the public sector a better partner in modern apprenticeships under its new skills strategy.

Maureen Watt: Responsibility for the operation of modern apprenticeships will pass to Skills Development Scotland which is expected to be operational by April next year. The Scottish Government will require Skills Development Scotland to work with all stakeholders – including the public sector – to improve delivery of modern apprenticeships and ensure there is a better match between supply and demand for the programme.

  The Scottish Government expects the public sector both at national and local authority level to play its full part with the private sector in upskilling the workforce in Scotland.

Blind and Partially Sighted People

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to widen the range of educational materials available in alternative formats, particularly audio, for young people who are blind or visually impaired.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government has convened a group of stakeholders, including representatives from RNIB, to consider the recommendations and implementation of the Books for All report produced by the Centre for Communication Aids for Language and Learning in April 2007. The group has met twice and will do so again in January 2008. Work to date includes discussions with Learning and Teaching Scotland to enable materials to be shared through GLOW and correspondence with the Copyright Licensing Agency to extend the schools copyright licence for all print disabled pupils.

Central Heating

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the criteria for those in urgent need due to medical circumstances to receive installation of central heating systems under the central heating programme before the onset of winter.

Stewart Maxwell: I have already confirmed that the fuel poverty programmes would be reviewed and this is currently underway. We have in the meantime put in hand arrangements to accelerate installations this winter for the most vulnerable eligible applicants who are without heating and hot water while waiting for their installations. We will provide resources of up to £7 million in this financial year to increase capacity in the programme so that other existing applicants are not disadvantaged.

Central Heating

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce the waiting times for the assessment of eligibility for, and the installation of, central heating systems under the central heating programme.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked James Hynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Up to a further £7 million has been made available this financial year to accelerate installations for the most vulnerable who are eligible for the scheme, and are without heating and hot water this winter. This is in addition to the extra resources that were made available earlier this financial year to install an additional 1,500 heating systems.

Child Care

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many residential child care staff are appropriately qualified and whether the qualification requirements are sufficiently robust to equip workers to meet the complex needs of children and young people effectively and support them to reach their full potential.

Adam Ingram: In 2004 a qualifications audit carried out by Scottish Institute of Residential Child Care staff confirmed 18% of the workforce was qualified. An audit carried out in 2007 shows a marked increase with 32% of staff qualified and a further 22% currently undertaking qualifications.

  The qualifications criteria for registration set by the Scottish Social Services Council takes account of the roles undertaken by staff and the skills they require. Recognised qualifications must meet the principles of integration of practice and learning; recognition within the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF), and underpin a knowledge and value base that is consistent with the Code of Practice for Social Service Workers. A wide and varied range of qualifications from degrees to SVQs are acceptable for registration purposes.

Child Welfare

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to ensure that the interests and voices of looked-after children are heard, that they receive the support and services they need and that their rights are upheld and respected by service providers.

Adam Ingram: Looked After Children and Young People: We Can and Must Do Better  contains 19 actions aimed at improving the life outcomes of our most vulnerable young people. This activity was informed by what young people have told us about their experiences in care. In taking the actions forward we plan to consult with young people’s representatives via the Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum and Who Cares? Scotland. Both of whom receive funding support from the Scottish Government.

  At a local level, via raising awareness of their corporate parenting role, we are encouraging local authorities to ensure that a clear involvement and consultation policy for looked after children and young people is developed and implemented which will guarantee the inclusion of their views at every level.

Child Welfare

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to ensure that there are consistent national standards, services and resources for throughcare and aftercare for all looked-after young people and those moving on from care.

Adam Ingram: Regulations and Guidance on services for young people ceasing to be looked after by local authorities came into force on 1 April 2004. Local authorities received £10 million over 2003-06 to carry out these new duties. Funding was thereafter baselined into GAE.

  This framework should assist local authorities whose duty it is to ensure that appropriate advice, guidance and assistance, tailored to the needs of the individual young person, is provided.

  In addition to the above regulations and in recognition that more needs to be done to improve outcomes for looked after children and young people Looked after Children and Young People: We Can and Must Do Better was published in January 2007. This sets out 19 action points across its five themes and highlights the importance of local authorities being effective and aspirational corporate parents for their looked after young people.

  One of the themes of We Can and Must Do Better is "Developing into Successful and Responsible Adults". The actions contained in this theme include: encouraging local authorities to use existing powers to provide appropriate financial support for care leavers who are in full time education, training or modern apprenticeship, and developing a resource pack for looked after young people and care leavers which will provide them with information relevant to their transition into adulthood.

Child Welfare

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to tackle undervaluing of residential and foster care staff and whether it has any plans to establish a Scotland-wide training, skills and qualifications framework for all staff working in residential and foster care.

Adam Ingram: We are committed to delivering a competent, confident and valued social service workforce, in line with Changing Lives and Skills for Scotland. A key activity, which is still at an early stage, is the development of a continuous learning framework for all in the social service workforce, including those working in residential child care. In addition, we provide significant direct investment in training the residential child care workforce. This is provided through the Scottish Institute for Residential Child Care (SIRCC) which currently receives £2 million a year to provide free national training for frontline workers in residential child care, delivering the core skills and registration-based qualifications they need.

  The Scottish Government also provided £4 million to fostering agencies across Scotland earlier this year to support the training and development of foster carers and kinship carers. We will set out further details with regard to our plans for the training of foster carers in the forthcoming National Fostering and Kinship Care Strategy.

Child Welfare

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to increase the support available to parents and families whose children are looked after both at home and away from home.

Adam Ingram: As announced during the early years debate on 31 October, a key theme of the forthcoming early years strategy will be building parenting and family capacity. The aim will be to develop an approach that meets the needs of all children and families and the particular needs of higher risk groups such as families with looked after children. The strategy will be published in summer or autumn 2008.

  A number of local programmes are already available which offer support and parenting classes to parents and families who have higher needs.

  The forthcoming National Fostering and Kinship Care Strategy will set out our proposals for support for family members who have taken on the responsibility for looked after children.

Child Welfare

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that looked-after children and young people are provided with the same educational opportunities as their peers and how it intends to raise educational attainment among looked-after children.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is committed to improving educational attainment for all looked after children and young people. By giving these young people the chance to develop to their full potential we will contribute towards making Scotland smarter, healthier, safer and stronger.

  Twenty local authorities have received funding to support pilot work on raising the educational attainment of their looked after children; including North Lanarkshire. The lessons learnt from this work will be used to inform national policy developments and service delivery by local authorities.

  In addition our action plan Looked After Children and Young People: We Can and Must Do Better sets out the strategic way forward. It contains 19 actions aimed at improving the life outcomes of our most vulnerable young people. This report can be accessed at: www.scotland.gov.uk/laceducationaloutcomes.

  More generally, Curriculum for Excellence is a curriculum for all of Scotland’s children and young people. It is designed to help improve attainment and achievement, staying on rates and skills development.

Child Welfare

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the independent expert, Tom Shaw, appointed to investigate historical institutional abuse in the care sector will report to Scottish ministers.

Adam Ingram: The Historical Abuse Systemic Review: Residential Care for Children and Young People in Scotland 1950-1995 by the independent expert, Tom Shaw, was submitted to the Scottish Government on 15 November 2007.

Child Welfare

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the report by independent expert, Tom Shaw, of his investigation into historical institutional abuse in the care sector.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement the conclusions of the report by independent expert, Tom Shaw, of his investigation into historical institutional abuse in the care sector.

Adam Ingram: The Historical Abuse Systemic Review: Residential Care for Children and Young People in Scotland 1950-1995  has been published today. It is available on the Scottish Government website and a copy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/20094226 .

  I am grateful to the independent expert Mr Tom Shaw and his team for the completion of this thorough and comprehensive review.

  This important review helps us understand the statutory and regulatory landscape which was in place during this period to protect children and keep them safe in residential care. It sheds light on the failings of those systems which were in place which should have protected children; it identifies the progress which has been made and, crucially, identifies where further effort is still required.

  The Scottish Government is determined to ensure that those survivors of historic in care and institutional abuse can receive the appropriate services they require to help them to recover from the effects of the physical and psychological damage caused by the abuse they have experienced. As part of the government’s wider Survivor Scotland strategy for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, we are developing specific proposals for survivors of historic in-care and institutional abuse.

  We must also ensure that children who are presently in residential care are safeguarded. We are already working with our partners to improve outcomes for all looked after young people and those leaving care. In the light of this review, I will be looking at how we can learn the lessons of the past and build on progress to raise the standard of residential care for children. We will work with partners to bring forward specific proposals, from developing the workforce to ensuring high-quality services, which address the issues raised.

Cities

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will promote to enhance the economic development of Scottish cities.

Jim Mather: The Government Economic Strategy sets out how the Scottish Government will focus on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. The strategy highlights the importance of Scotland’s cities as centres of growth and prosperity and sets a framework for the cities to realise their full potential.

Class Sizes

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to revise the formula for calculating the operational capacity of classrooms to meet the maximum class size pledge of 18 pupils in primary 1 to primary 3.

Maureen Watt: In 2004, the former Scottish Executive issued guidance to local authorities on determining school capacities which specifically addressed an exception to the duty to comply with placing requests in certain circumstances. The guidance did not proffer a formula, recognising that it is for authorities themselves to determine the capacity of individual schools. Working together with local authorities the Scottish Government intend to consider reviewing and, if necessary, revising this guidance.

Community Wardens

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of community wardens.

Fergus Ewing: An evaluation of community wardens was carried out by an independent research team from GEN Consulting. The findings suggested that community wardens can and do play an important role in supporting safer and stronger communities. A copy of the full evaluation, which was published in March 2007, can be found on the Scottish Government website.

  An economic appraisal of selected community warden schemes was also undertaken as part of evaluation of antisocial behaviour strategies at neighbourhood level. Again the results of this research can be found on the Scottish Government website.

Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers (a) Additional Support for Learning support, (b) additional support needs in-service training, (c) additional support staff, (d) additional teachers for early years, (e) alternatives to exclusion, (f) continuing professional development, (g) Curriculum for Excellence, (h) discipline, (i) GLOW, (j) integration in school education, (k) inclusion, (l) job sizing, (m) new teachers, (n) nutrition, (o) the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006, (p) staged intervention, (q) out of school hours learning/study support, (r) support for parents and (s) support for teachers to be priorities for education.

Fiona Hyslop: For 2007-08, the National Priorities Action Fund was allocated to local authorities across the following funding streams: (a) Additional Support for Learning (ASL) support, (b) additional support needs (ASN) in-service training (INSET) (c) additional support staff, (d) additional teachers for early years, (e) alternatives to exclusion, (f) continuing professional development, (g) Curriculum for Excellence, (h) discipline, (i) GLOW, (j) integration in school education, (k) inclusion, (l) job sizing, (m) new teachers, (n) nutrition, (o) Parental Involvement Act, (p) staged intervention, (q) out of school hours learning/study support, (r) support for parents and (s) support for teachers.

  We will continue to work in partnership with local government partners to drive forward our education priorities in schools. For future years, this funding will be included within the overall local government finance settlement. It will be the responsibility of each local authority, in conjunction with their community planning partners, to allocate the funding on the basis of their local needs and priorities – subject to their statutory obligations and monitoring of performance to deliver national outcomes and indicators, including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and manifesto commitments. Further details on these new arrangements can be found in the Scottish Budget Report and related Concordat with local authorities. Copies of both documents are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 44076 and 44077 respectively).

Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what staffing commitments are attached to education priorities for (a) Additional Support for Learning support, (b) additional support needs in-service training, (c) additional support staff, (d) additional teachers for early years, (e) alternatives to exclusion, (f) continuing professional development, (g) Curriculum for Excellence, (h) discipline, (i) GLOW, (j) integration in school education, (k) inclusion, (l) job sizing, (m) new teachers, (n) nutrition, (o) the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006, (p) staged intervention, (q) out of school hours learning/study support, (r) support for parents and (s) support for teachers and what the staffing allocations are for each.

Fiona Hyslop: For 2007-08, the National Priorities Action Fund was allocated to local authorities across the following funding streams: (a) Additional Support for Learning (ASL) support, (b) additional support needs (ASN) in-service training (INSET) (c) additional support staff, (d) additional teachers for early years, (e) alternatives to exclusion, (f) continuing professional development, (g) Curriculum for Excellence, (h) discipline, (i) GLOW, (j) integration in school education, (k) inclusion, (l) job sizing, (m) new teachers, (n) nutrition, (o) Parental Involvement Act, (p) staged intervention, (q) out of school hours learning/study support, (r) support for parents and (s) support for teachers.

  It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available through the fund on the basis of local needs and priorities. No details on specific staffing commitments or allocations are held centrally.

  For future years, this funding will be included within the overall local government finance settlement. It will be the responsibility of each local authority, in conjunction with their community planning partners, to allocate the funding on the basis of their local needs and priorities – subject to their statutory obligations and monitoring of performance to deliver national outcomes and indicators, including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and manifesto commitments. Further details on these new arrangements can be found in the Scottish Budget Report and related Concordat with local authorities. Copies of both documents are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 44076 and 44077 respectively).

Education

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5836 by Adam Ingram on 9 November 2007, whether the answer means that the goal of the previous administration to make every school a health promoting school by 2007 has not been achieved.

Adam Ingram: The inspection evidence available on a national basis from over 500 primary and secondary schools across all 32 local authorities supports the view that schools across Scotland are endeavouring to be health promoting schools. On this basis, we are satisfied that a baseline has been achieved and look forward to the commencement of the health promotion duty of the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act on 3 January 2007. As previously advised in answer to S3W-5836, answered on 9 November 2007, this will build on the work already done by placing a legal duty on Scottish Ministers and education authorities to endeavour to ensure that all public schools and hostels provided and maintained by education authorities are health-promoting.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Education

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it has made available to local authorities to support the implementation of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 in each year since implementation, broken down by local authority.

Adam Ingram: The resources made available to local authorities to support the implementation of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 in each year since implementation, broken down by local authority, is provided in the following table.

  

 Education Authority
 Financial Year


 2005-06
 2006-07
 2007-08


 Aberdeen City
£356,417
£468,969
£468,969


 Aberdeenshire
£454,759
£598,367
£598,367


 Angus 
£198,057
£260,601
£260,601


 Argyll and Bute
£163,033
£214,517
£214,517


 Clackmannanshire
£96,499
£126,973
£126,973


 Dumfries and Galloway
£266,571
£350,751
£350,751


 Dundee City
£263,356
£346,521
£346,521


 East Ayrshire
£230,483
£303,267
£303,267


 East Dunbartonshire
£215,951
£284,146
£284,146


 East Lothian
£176,802
£232,634
£232,634


 East Renfrewshire
£185,625
£244,243
£244,243


 Edinburgh, City of
£746,520
£982,263
£982,263


 Eilean Siar
£46,848
£61,642
£61,642


 Falkirk
£275,685
£362,743
£362,743


 Fife
£670,221
£881,870
£881,870


 Glasgow City
£1,060,890
£1,395,908
£1,395,908


 Highland
£391,149
£514,670
£514,670


 Inverclyde
£160,383
£211,030
£211,030


 Midlothian 
£162,578
£213,919
£213,919


 Moray
£166,616
£219,232
£219,232


 North Ayrshire
£262,378
£345,234
£345,234


 North Lanarkshire
£640,101
£842,238
£842,238


 Orkney Islands
£36,550
£48,093
£48,093


 Perth and Kinross
£246,645
£324,533
£324,533


 Renfrewshire
£326,048
£429,010
£429,010


 Scottish Borders
£192,175
£252,862
£252,862


 Shetland Islands
£45,004
£59,216
£59,216


 South Ayrshire
£197,148
£259,405
£259,405


 South Lanarkshire
£584,234
£768,728
£768,728


 Stirling
£166,239
£218,736
£218,736


 West Dunbartonshire
£183,696
£241,705
£241,705


 West Lothian 
£331,338
£435,971
£435,971


 Total
£9,500,000
£12,500,000
£12,500,000

Finance

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact on the Scottish budget would be of the revenue consequences of increasing the justice department budget sufficiently to allow police numbers to increase by a total of 1,000.

John Swinney: As the cost of 500 additional police officers is £54 million over the Spending Review period, then it follows that 1,000 additional officers would cost in the region of £108 million. In order for the additional sum to be found, other spending announced in the Spending Review allocations on 14 November would have to be reduced.

Fisheries

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that Scotland should remain a party to the Common Fisheries Policy.

Richard Lochhead: Scotland is best placed to manage its fisheries. The current constitutional settlement presents an obstacle to our withdrawal from the CFP. In the meantime we will be unrelenting in pursuing radical change to the regime. A key guiding principle will be to increase national control.

Fisheries

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-889 by Richard Lochhead on 27 June 2007, whether the findings of the review of the Fleet Renewal Programme have been scrutinised by ministers and whether the review itself will be published.

Richard Lochhead: The review findings are in the process of being scrutinised. As stated on 27 June 2007 in the answer to question S3W-889 a copy of the review will be placed in due course in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and a further copy will also be made available then to the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee.

Fisheries

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is now in a position to authorise the signing of a contract for the construction of a fisheries protection vessel for the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is not in a position to authorise the signing of a contract. For the time being the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency will continue to carry out its present marine monitoring and surveillance tasks with four vessels and two aircraft.

Flood Prevention

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what notional allocation has been made for local authorities to spend on flood management and coastal protection in each of the next three years.

Richard Lochhead: As agreed in the joint Concordat, the support for Flood Prevention and Coast Protection is one of the grants which is being rolled up as part of the Local Government Settlement. The total package of funding for local government, as published in the Spending Review 07, is £34,730 million across the period 2008-11. Further details of the Local Government Settlement will be presented to Parliament in December.

Flood Prevention

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its budget allocation for local authorities for flood management and protection is based on analysis of the different needs across Scotland.

Richard Lochhead: The funding for flooding will be provided by means of a block grant to each local authority. It will then be the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and manifesto commitments.

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the announcement by the then Minister for Health and Community Care on 29 March 2006, what progress is being made on new premises for Dalkeith Medical Centre.

Nicola Sturgeon: Planning is well advanced. A business case has been completed and will be before NHS Lothian’s Finance and Performance Committee for approval on 12 December.

International Relations

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it envisages Scottish Development International working more closely with VisitScotland and Executive officials operating internationally and what plans it has for any additional overseas postings, more co-location of offices and increased representation in other countries.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government has made clear that its top priority is to pursue sustained economic growth. Our trade and investment arm, Scottish Development International, has a key role to play in delivering this objective and working with other Scottish Government agencies to strengthen economic, educational and cultural links with Scotland’s leading overseas markets. We have no current plans to create additional overseas posts but will continue to work to ensure that when overseas customers engage with the government they see Scotland and not a collection of different agencies.

International Relations

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the new Scottish Government Counsellor in North America will have and what is meant by the reference to "co-ordinating" in terms of his remit to co-ordinate the interests of Scottish bodies in North America.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government Counsellor will have overall responsibility for the delivery of Scottish ministers’ purpose and strategic objectives in North America. A key part of his role will be to work with the various publicly funded bodies that operate in North America to support the most efficient and effective delivery of these objectives. In particular, the Scottish Government Counsellor will have management responsibility for the Scottish Development International’s (SDI) operation in North America, though the director of SDI North America will retain an important professional line of accountability to the Chief Executive of SDI. The SDI management board will oversee the work of SDI overall and as such will receive regular reports on North American activity.

Justice

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the prisons budget was spent in 2005-06 on education and other reoffending reduction strategies.

Kenny MacAskill: The latest figures from the Audit Scotland report on reoffending strategies in 2003-04 show that some £30 million was spent for these purposes in that year.

Justice

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it believes that Scotland’s law on culpable homicide can be developed.

Kenny MacAskill: We have no plans to change the common law on culpable homicide. We consider that the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 addresses the problem identified by the Transco case. The act sends a robust message to organisations that failures to meet their duty of care to employees and the public will not be tolerated. That act comes into force in April, and our priority is to ensure its successful implementation.

Less Favoured Areas

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many claimants there were under the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007, broken down by parish.

Richard Lochhead: The information requested is not available broken down by parish. In total, the number of claimants eligible for Less Favoured Area Support (LFASS) was:

  (a) LFASS 2005, 12,846 claimants.

  (b) LFASS 2006, 13,045 claimants.

  (c) LFASS 2007, this information is not available because the scheme remains open to applications (subject to penalty) until 11 December 2007. Payments will not start until early 2008.

Less Favoured Areas

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was claimed under the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007, broken down by parish.

Richard Lochhead: The information requested is not available broken down by parish. In total, the amount claimed by those eligible under the Less Favoured Area Support (LFASS) was:

  (a) LFASS 2005, £60.925 million.

  (b) LFASS 2006, £99.568 million.

  (c) LFASS 2007, this information is not available because the scheme remains open to applications (subject to penalty) until 11 December 2007. Payments will not start until early 2008.

Less Favoured Areas

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive for how many hectares of land payments were claimed under the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme in (a) 2005, (b) 2006 and (c) 2007, broken down by parish.

Richard Lochhead: The information requested is not available broken down by parish. In total, the number of hectares claimed under Less Favoured Area Support (LFASS) was:

  (a) LFASS 2005, 3,485,078 hectares.

  (b) LFASS 2006, 3,433,382 hectares.

  (c) LFASS 2007, this information is not available because the scheme remains open to applications (subject to penalty) until 11 December 2007. Payments will not start until early 2008.

Less Favoured Areas

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was claimed under the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007, broken down by landholding.

Richard Lochhead: The information requested is not available broken down by landholding. In total, the amount claimed by those eligible for Less Favoured Area Support (LFASS) was:

  (a) LFASS 2006, £99.568 million.

  (b) LFASS 2007, this information is not available because the scheme remains open to applications (subject to penalty) until 11 December 2007. Payments will not start until early 2008.

  Work is in hand to publish individual LFASS 2007 payment details next year, once payments have issued.

Local Government

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the new outcome agreements with local government, as referred to in Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007, will include those relating to drug and alcohol treatments.

Fergus Ewing: Under the new concordat between the Scottish Government and local government, signed on 14 November 2007 and available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 44077), each local authority will aim to reach a single outcome agreement (SOA) with the Scottish Government at the earliest opportunity. The SOA will be based on the national outcomes and indicators set out in the National Performance Framework and, under a common framework, local outcomes to take account of local priorities. There are specific indicators contained in the National Performance Framework on drugs and alcohol. The SOA will cover all local government services in each local authority area as well as a significant range of the responsibilities of Community Planning Partnerships where local authorities have a significant part to play. We are drawing up proposals for reforming local delivery arrangements of drugs and alcohol services in this context, and will bring forward proposals as part of the government’s new drugs strategy.

Marine Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how membership of the Lismore Seal Management Group is decided.

Richard Lochhead: I understand the current members of the Lismore Seal Management Group decide which organisations and individuals should become members, with Scottish Natural Heritage consulting current members on any individual or organisation requesting to join.

Maternity Services

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve neonatal services.

Nicola Sturgeon: We are undertaking a comprehensive review of all aspects of neonatal services. The first draft of the report will be available at the end of this year. The Scottish Government will give full consideration to the findings and recommendations of the report when it is published.

Meat Industry

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect a significant outbreak of bluetongue in Great Britain would have on sales of lamb from Scotland to (a) home and (b) export markets.

Richard Lochhead: The impact of the disease on sales would depend on various factors including the extent to which production was disrupted and the timing of the outbreak. The export of meat and meat products is not affected by bluetongue.

  The Scottish Government has commissioned a study to explore in further detail the potential economic effects of bluetongue disease in Scotland. The study is expected to report towards the end of February 2008.

Meat Industry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for, or will consider, relaunching the Ongoers scheme in the pig sector.

Richard Lochhead: We have no plans to re-launch the Ongoers scheme. We are aware, however, of the difficulties faced by the pig sector. I asked officials to work with the industry to analyse options for support; now that work is complete, I will consider what measures might be appropriate.

Meat Industry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for, or will consider, increasing private storage aid in the pig sector.

Richard Lochhead: Private Storage Aid is a European Commission scheme which is already available for pigmeat. The facility is being used by one company in Scotland but there is no suggestion that the volumes provided for by the Commission are insufficient for the industry’s needs.

Meat Industry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for, or will consider, a 100% knackery subsidy in the pig sector.

Richard Lochhead: Scottish ministers have already contributed to funding for the National Fallen Stock Scheme which provides a subsidised, compliant disposal route for all fallen stock from farms. The scheme is open to all mainland Scottish pig farmers who wish to join.

NHS Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to its 2008-11 spending plans, why the budget for Improvement and Support of the NHS, previously known as the Centre for Change and Innovation, is facing a cut in its budget from £23.6 million in 2007-08 to £20.3 million in 2010-11.

Nicola Sturgeon: The budget for Improvement and Support of the NHS provides a range of programmes and resources designed to help NHS boards improve their performance through redesigning and streamlining processes. The Improvement and Support Team will, over the spending review period, transfer knowledge and skills in service improvement to NHS boards, enabling a modest reduction to be made in the budget to just over £20 million annually. This will enable the necessary support to continue to be given to boards.

National Health Service

Tricia Marwick (Central Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to establish the group tasked with the development of standards for neurological services.

Nicola Sturgeon: I understand from NHS Quality Improvement Scotland that an advocacy group, composed of representatives of relevant voluntary organisations and support groups, has been established. It will highlight the aspects of the standards which are of particular importance to patients and carers, and is due to meet for the first time during December. The project group with overall responsibility for developing the standards has also been established, and its first meeting is scheduled for January 2008.

National Health Service

Tricia Marwick (Central and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects NHS Quality Improvement Scotland to complete its work on the development of standards for neurological services.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland advises that it expects the draft standards to be ready for consultation in autumn 2008. Consultation and testing will then be necessary, with publication of the final version of the standards likely to take place in the summer of 2009.

Parliamentary Questions

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S3W-4700 which received a holding reply on 25 October 2007.

Richard Lochhead: A substantive answer was given to question S3W-4700 on 21 November 2007.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

People with Disabilities

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisation is responsible for the post-school transition of people with learning disabilities.

Adam Ingram: While there is no single organisation that is responsible for the post-school transition of people with learning disabilities, the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (the Act) requires education authorities to take specific action to help young people with additional support needs, including those with learning disabilities, to make the transition from school to post-school life successfully.

  Within specific timescales, education authorities are required to seek information from, and provide information to, any appropriate agency that the education authority thinks is relevant. The appropriate agencies which may be involved are: any other local authority; any NHS board; Careers Scotland; any further education college, and any institution of higher education. The education authority should also consider the provision that the local authority itself is likely to make for the child or young person after they leave school i.e. social work provision.

Police

Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it agrees that the £30 million spent annually on community wardens would better be spent providing a greater number of additional police officers.

Fergus Ewing: Community wardens perform an important function in many of our communities and are valued by the public, the police and local authorities. It is for those that fund the wardens schemes across Scotland to decide on their effectiveness and allocate resources accordingly.

Police

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the 500 intended new police officers will be committed to Northern Constabulary.

Kenny MacAskill: As all members are aware, this government inherited a situation where recruitment plans for 2007-08 were considerably lower than in previous years. This is why we have brought forward as a matter of urgency the recruitment of an additional 150 police officers in this financial year and will increase investment in policing over the parliamentary term.

  As a result of the government’s announcement on 12 November 2007, Northern Constabulary will as a first step be able to recruit an additional eight police officers this financial year, over and above the recruitment plans they would have developed under the previous administration.

  Further additional officers will be recruited by Northern Constabulary in subsequent years as a result of the government’s commitment to increase policing capacity. Plans for this will be taken forward in partnership with chief constables and police boards.

Police

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5541 by Kenny MacAskill on 30 October 2007, how it will ensure that its intention of deploying police officers in communities will be met under the tripartite arrangements.

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to ensure that chief constables comply with its wishes to deploy police officers in the community, other than doing so through discussion and consultation.

Kenny MacAskill: Government plans to build police capacity will work within the tripartite relationship by working in partnership with conveners and with ACPOS to set clear strategic priorities for policing; by giving police boards the tools and incentives to effectively hold chief constables to account; and by respecting the operational independence of chief constables.

  Under the tripartite arrangement for the accountability for the police service in Scotland outlined in the Police (Scotland) Act 1967:

  Scottish ministers retain overall responsibility for national policing policy and to promote national resilience, capacity and capability.

  Police authorities oversee the work of the chief constable and hold him/her to account for the policing of the force area, control the budget for the force and so provide the chief constable with the resources necessary to police the area efficiently and effectively. Through the duty of best value contained within the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003, police authorities have a responsibility to secure the maintenance of an efficient and effective police force in their area, achieving a balance between quality of performance and the cost of that performance.

  Chief constables have sole responsibility for the enforcement of the law and for the deployment of officers and police operations within their force areas.

Police

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guarantee it will give that police numbers in 2011 in (a) Northern Constabulary, (b) Grampian Police and (c) Strathclyde Police will be higher than they are at present.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guarantee it will give that police numbers in the Moray division of Grampian Police will rise by 2011.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guarantee it will give that police numbers in the Argyll and Bute division of Strathclyde Police will rise by 2011.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-5268 on 29 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Police

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what resources, in addition to those available for recruiting police officers to maintain existing numbers, it is giving to (a) Northern Constabulary, (b) Grampian Police and (c) Strathclyde Police to recruit additional officers to fulfil the SNP’s manifesto commitment.

Kenny MacAskill: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-6201 on 12 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Police

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of a new police officer in (a) Northern Constabulary, (b) Grampian Police and (c) Strathclyde Police.

Kenny MacAskill: A new police officer is an officer who is newly recruited to the police service.

Police

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what share of additional resources to recruit additional police officers is being given to (a) Northern Constabulary, (b) Grampian Police and (c) Strathclyde Police.

Kenny MacAskill: The 150 officers to be recruited this year will be divided among forces according to the GAE formula.

  

 Police Force
 Number


 Central
 7


 Dumfries and Galloway
 4


 Fife
 9


 Grampian
 14


 Lothian and Borders
 27


 Northern
 8


 Strathclyde
 70


 Tayside
 11



  Plans for additional recruitment in future years will be taken forward in partnership with chief constables and police boards.

Police

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what element of the additional £13.5 million, £18 million and £22 million shown on page 31 of Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007 for the recruitment, retention and redeployment of police officers relates to recruitment.

Kenny MacAskill: These resources will be invested to build capacity and to support, as a first step, the recruitment of 500 new officers. We are working with key partners to ensure that this substantial investment is used in the most efficient way possible to deliver the government’s commitment of 1,000 additional officers available in our communities through increased recruitment of new officers, improved retention of skilled and experienced officers and redeployment of officers to front line tasks.

Police

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the incremental additional cost would be for each additional police officer recruited in 2008-09 beyond the plans set out in Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007, broken down into (a) recruitment costs, (b) training costs, (c) annual salary costs, (d) annual employers’ national insurance costs, (e) annual employers’ pension contributions and (f) any additional costs incurred.

Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is not available centrally, but currently a constable’s basic salary ranges from £21,009 to £32,985 and the cost of probationer training is £7,427. These current salary costs do not take into account any increase for 2007-08, which has still to be determined.

Post Office

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it provides for the post office network in Scotland.

John Swinney: The Scotland Act reserves the subject matter of the Postal Services Act 2000 to the UK Government. The Scottish Government’s powers to provide direct support to the Post Office network are therefore extremely limited. Nevertheless, the Scottish Government continues to seek ways to add value to the restructuring exercise underway in the current Post Office Network Change Programme.

Procurement

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making on its review of public sector procurement policy.

John Swinney: Procurement policy is being addressed as part of the wider procurement reform programme and a cross-sector policy forum has been established to support the development of general procurement policy and guidance. In relation to policy on food procurement, and following the debate in this chamber on 7 November 2007, the Scottish Government, is developing a national food policy for Scotland. I hope that one of the benefits of that will be a renewed focus on the food procurement guidelines that were issued in 2004 and which are currently being revised for re-issue.

School Meals

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children will benefit from the extension of free school meals to all primary 1 to primary 3 pupils in 2010, as set out in Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007, in (a) Central Scotland parliamentary region, (b) each Scottish parliamentary constituency in the Central Scotland region and (c) each local authority area.

Adam Ingram: Predicted national school rolls by stage for 2010 are available on the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/19125551/16 . We do not have information on predicted school rolls by area.

Schools

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-5742 and S3W-5744 by Maureen Watt on 7 and 6 November 2007 respectively and the answer to the second supplementary to question S3F-125 by Alex Salmond on 6 September 2007 ( Official Report , c. 1501), given that the second supplementary question referred specifically to the 22 school closures proposed in the Children & Families Estates Review: Rationalisation and Development Programme , published after May 2007 and approved by the City of Edinburgh Council’s ruling SNP/Liberal Democrat coalition on 23 August 2007, whether it will now retract the statement that "the so-called hit list was devised under a Labour administration".

Maureen Watt: No. The paper entitled School Estate Review: Process 2004-2007 prepared for The City of Edinburgh Council’s Education, Children and Families Committee meeting on 19 November 2007 summarises the consideration of school rationalisation thinking and proposals, both generic and specific, under the council’s previous administration. The paper is available on the council’s website.

Scottish Government Finance

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Development prioritised spending between government departments for his statement on the spending review.

John Swinney: In our Scottish Budget, we set out our spending plans prioritised to meet the overarching purpose of government – to increase the level of sustainable economic growth and deliver on our five strategic objectives. This is a new joined up approach to public spending.

Sport

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct a consultation on the provision of competitive sport in schools.

Maureen Watt: The importance of sport within and around the school day needs to be considered in the context of the outcome agreements between the Scottish Government and each local authority.

  We will continue to work with local government, through COSLA, to develop policy in areas where local government has a key interest. In terms of sport in schools, we plan to work closely with our local government partners and the Association of Directors of Education (Scotland) to examine good practice and identify barriers with a view to overcoming them.

  As part of their contribution to the new relationship, the Scottish Government and local government will each do what is required to ensure delivery of key government policies and programmes, including improving the learning experience for children and young people by developing and delivering Curriculum for Excellence.

  The draft outcomes and experiences being written as part of the curriculum review, together with a new framework for curriculum design, will provide a description of broad expectations of what a young person should experience throughout their schooling. The health and wellbeing area of the curriculum is likely to include draft outcomes and experiences that may be met through sporting activity. These are expected to be released for engagement with teachers and others before the end of the current school year.

  The school curriculum in Scotland is not prescribed by legislation. It is for individual authorities and schools to decide the best way of achieving those outcomes.

Sport

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will be involved in the joint bid by North and South Lanarkshire councils to host the 2011 International Children’s Games.

Stewart Maxwell: I visited New Lanarkshire Limited on 27 August 2007 and discussed their plans to bid for the 2011 International Children’s Games. I have also met with the International Children’s Games Executive Committee.

  EventScotland, the national events agency, is in discussion with the councils involved in the bid and has agreed to meet with them to discuss the application.

Waste Management

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis allocations to local authorities for zero waste will be made, whether any other allowance has been made for expenditure on waste management in funding allocated to local authorities, and on what basis any additional funding would be allocated.

Richard Lochhead: As outlined in the Scottish Budget Spending Review document, the zero waste budget will be used to assist implementation of the National Waste Plan. This will include support for programmes to develop markets for recyclate, waste minimisation, waste awareness, support for community recycling, provision of waste infrastructure, and support for Keep Scotland Beautiful, which carries out anti-litter and anti-flytipping campaigns and promotes environmental education.

  The Scottish Budget Spending Review document also outlines that the ring fence around the Strategic Waste Fund (SWF) will be removed from 1 April 2008, with the SWF being absorbed into the main local government settlement. The recently published Concordat between the Scottish Government and COSLA explains that all local authorities will be expected to agree to work towards a Single Outcome Agreement based on the national outcomes and indicators listed in Annex A. Indicator 39 is about reducing to 1.32 million tonnes the amount of waste sent to landfill by 2010. This relates to Scotland’s share of the 2010 target set by the EU Landfill Directive on reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill.

  Final decisions on how the overall local government settlement will be distributed between local authorities will be taken following consultation with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. The provisional allocations for 2008-09 will be confirmed at the time of the Local Government Finance settlement announcement in mid-December.

Weeds Act 1959

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend the Weeds Act 1959 to cover non-agricultural land.

Richard Lochhead: The Weeds Act applies to all land and empowers the Scottish Government to serve notice requiring the occupier of land to control the spread of five injurious weeds - common ragwort, broad-leaved dock, curled dock, creeping thistle and spear thistle. My officials are currently working on guidance on how to prevent the spread of ragwort. The aim of the guidance is to promote good practice to significantly reduce the risk of ragwort poisoning to horses and other livestock.